Self-winding clock



Mar. 20, 1923. A 1,448,815.

F. J. REILLY ELF "WINDING CLOCK Filed Feb. 2'?, 1920 Patented Mar. 20,1923.

UNITED STATESY FRANCIS J'. REILLY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SELF-WINDING CLDCK.

Application filed February 27, 1920. Serial No. 361,878.

To all `whom it may concer-n Be it known that I.` lfIaANcIs J. REILLY, asubject of the King ot' Great Britain, residing,r at New York city.borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented acertain new and useful Sel-f;

lVinding Clock, of which the `following is` a speci'cation.

This invention relates to clock movements and-is. more particularly,directed to a self controlling, electrically operated, primary movement.

In embodying the present invention in clock construction, the mainspring which is generally utilized as the prime mover` for the timetrain. is dispensed with and, in lieu thereof` a weighted lever isemployed. The lever is pivoted on one of thc spindles or arbors of themovement and preferably has a pawl and ratchet connection with saidspindle or arbor. Through this connection the weight of the lever isimposed upon the time train and serves to drive the same. During,r thisdriving operation, the Weighted lever gravitates downwardly about thespindle or arbor on which it is pivoted, but is adapted to beperiodically elevated by electrical means preferably in the form of a.

solenoid.

It is essential to the proper operation of the movement that the weightof the operating lever be constantly imposed on the time train so as tosteadily drive the same Without appreciable periods of rest or dwellthereof. The present invention provides for the accomplishment of thisby electrically elevating the operating lever in such a. quick and rapidmanner that, practically speaking, its weight is constantly imposed uponthe time train. f

In accordance with this invention, the control` of the electricalcircuit which is utilized to elevate the operating lever, is controlledby the lever itself in such manner as to be unfailing in its operation.vention is particularlydirected to the etlicient making and breakingofvthis circuit through the employment of novel and simpleswitch'mechanism which obviates arcing and renders the control positive.y

Features ofK the invention, other than those specified, will be apparentfrom the hereinafter detailed description and claims taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. 'n

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one practicalembodiment of the invention, but the construction therein shown is to beunderstood as illustrative only, and not as defining the limits ofthe'inve'ntion.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clock movement embodying the presentinvention; and

Figure 2 is a section in the plane of the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

The clock movementshown in the drawing embodies a time train of anysuitable, conventional type, controlled by proper escapement. mechanism.AAs this mechanism may vary without departing from the invention, and is'ivellknown by those skilled in the art, it is not considered necessaryto describe it in detail. This invention has to do with the driving ofthe time train rather than to the time train itself and this driving isaccomplished b v a Weighted operating lever in lieu of the usual mainspring.

Referring to the drawings, the operating lever is designated by thereference character 1, and is shown as pivotally mounted at one of itsends, on the spindle or arbor 2 of one of the intermediate gears 3. Inpractice however, the arbor 2 can be any arbor or spindle of themovement which it may be considered desirable to drive. Mounted on thelever 1, near the free end thereof, is a Weight 1, and between theweight and fulcrum of the lever, said lever carries a pavvl or dog 5,normally held in engagement with a ratchet wheel 6, fixed 0n the arbor2, by a spring I and mounted on the lever, as best. shown in Figure 2.The weight 4 is thus imposed on lever 1 and terids to force it throughthe action of gravity, to rotate it about its fulcrum 2 in acounterclockvvise direction. In order to partake of this movement,however, it must carry with it the ratchet wheel 6 towhich it is lockedby the pawl 5. The'time train is thus driven, and is properly timed bthe escapement mechanism aforesaid. Tliis mechanism properly controlsthe operation of the time train and renders it capable of correctactuation of hands 8 and 9, associated therewith.

It will appear from 'the drawings that,

f after the. lever 1 has descended and thus driven the time trainthrough a certain period, it is necessary to again elevate the lever sothat it may be utilized to drive the time train through a nextsubsequent period.

sis

To this end, a solenoid 10 is mounted in fixed position above the leverl,and.this

solenoid is provided with a movable core 11. Depending from the core 11is a rod 12, rigid with the core, and extending downwardly through abracket. 13 by means of which the rod andcore are guided for verticalmovement.

Supported on the-rod 12 and rigid therewith is a block of insulation 14on one lateral face of which is secured a relatively long. tongue-like`leaf spring 15, the free end portion of which is preferably slit shown.to increase its resiliency. 'This leaf spring constitutes a relativelyfixed contact, with which a movable contact iti is adapted toco-operate. The movable contact 16 is in the form of a cani likerolle'rcarried on and tlxedly supported by the lever 1 and electricallyinsulated therefrom. The two contacts are so relatively disposed that,as the lever 1 nears the end of'its downward movement. the roller 1Gengages with the leaf spring 15. The leaf spring is. in practice, madequite light and sensitive so that the roller engages it gently andstarts to slowly slide down thereover. The contacts are, however,included in series in an electric circuit with the solenoid lil and asuitable source of current supply, with the result that, as soon as thecontacts engage as aforesaid the solenoid is energized and its core 11and the rod 12 are drawn quickly upward. The rod 12 is provided with alaterally extending tinger 1T, which at all times underlies the lever 1,so that when the solenoid 10 is energized. and its core elevated, thelinger 1T elevates the lever 1. ln practice, the lifting of the core isaccomplished with considerable rapidity, but this upward movement islimited by a stop Q1 secured to the lower end of the rod 1'2. it thelever 1, the core is suddenly brought to rest through engagement of thestop 21 with the bracket 12%. The inertia of the lever 1, however.causes such lever to continue its upward nmveinent, whereby it isdisengaged from electrical engagement with the contact spring l5 andthereby effects a breaking ot|` the core circuit. As thei.lever nearsthe upper terminus of its travel, and after leaving contact with thespring 15, it engages with the cushioning spring 2l), which arrests themovement thereof without Shock or vibration. As soon'as the circuitthrough the solenoid is broken. the rod 1Q drops by gravity while thelever 1 is left in a position to impose its weight through the pawl 5upon the ratchet wheel 6 for the pur-l pose ot' driving the time trainas already set forth.

During the elevation of the lever as described, retrograde shifting ofthe ratchet wheel 6. due, to; the drag of the pawl 5, is

precluded by a looking pawil or dog 18 pre-ferably mounted on the -backof the. front plate as shown in Figure 2. A spring 19 As the coreclevates, carrvin r with skilled in the art, particular emphasis-may Abe laid here on the inode of operation of making and brez'tking thecontrolling circ-uit.

It will be noted that, as the movable con tact 16 descends, it graduallyengages the fixed contact 15 and starts to slide thereover. The circuitis immediately closedb'ut, at this instant, the lifting finger hasnot-'yet been engaged hy the lever 1. However, as soon as the circuit iscompleted. the core of the solenoid is drawn up smartly causing t-he twocontacts to be quickly slid over one another to establish a perfectcont-act and, through the resulting friction. free said contacts ofcorrosion, dirt. or other insulating matter which would serve to destroyproper electrical connection. On the other hand. even though thecontacts were dirty and did not immediately complete the circuit as soonas they engaged with one another. they will proceed to wedge tightlytogether until contact is established. Thus. during both the making andbreaking of the circuit the contracts act upon one another to maintainthemselves smooth and bright. ltwill further appear that the circuit ismade through engagement between the contacts at one int and broken at.another pointI due to the shifting of the solenoid core, and the turningmovement lof the cam shaped contact describing an arc in its upwardmovement. It will be understood that the specific invention describedmay bcmodilied in formal respects, such as by the substitution ofequivalents, and that parts of the complete mechanism described may beused alone, or in other environments, without departing from the spiritor substancer of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensuratewith the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, a

clock movement embodying, as a prime" mover, a gravity operated memberadapted through the. gravitating descent thereof to drive the movement,an upstandin solenoid having a core provided with a ependn stem, a,liftin projection mounted in sai stem and un erlying the'l'gravitymember though normally free from engagement therewith, a resilientelectrical @etwmounted on and supported by the stem of the solenoidcore, a movable contact carried on and supported by the gravity memberand adapte-d to engage with Athe resilient contact and complete acircuit through the solenoid before the gravity member engages with thelifting projection of the stem, whereupon the `solenoid is energized,brings the lifting projection into engagement with the gravity member,forces the contacts into tight engagement with one another and elevatesthe gravity member to the point of starting of its downward movement.

2. In a device of the class described, a clock movement embodying, as aprime mover, a ravity operated member adapted through t egravitatingdescent thereof to drive the movement, an upstanding solenoid having amovable core for periodically elevating the gravity member, a movablecontact carried by the gravity member, a relatively ixed flexibleContact carriedby the solenoid core'in the path of the movable Contactand in a'position to be engaged and fiexed by said movable contact asthe gravity member nears the terminus of its downward gravitatingtrav'el for the purpose of coinpleting an electric circuit through thesolenoid and elevating the gravity member to the point of starting ofits downward travel.

3. A clock movement embodying hands, a time train for operating saidhands, and means for driving the time train, which means embodies aratchet wheel operatively associated with the time train and rotatableon a horizontal axis, a lever mounted for oscillation coaxially of theratchet wheel, a weight cooperating with the lever to cause it togravitate in a downward direction, a

pawl'nssociated with the lever and engaging with vvthe ratchet Wheel todrivethe ratchet wheel when the levenis oscillated by the weight, astationary solenoid provided with a movable core, a stemon the core, a.shoulder on the stem adapted to underlie thel pivoted lever, whereby theenering of the solenoid will cause the coe to in to lift the lever intoa position to subsequently gravitate and drive the time train, a movablecontact carried'by the lever, a relatively fixed Hexible contact carriedby the stem. and an electric circuit including both contacts and thesolenoid, said fixed contact bein so positioned that'it will be engagedan fiexed by the movable contact when the lever has substantiallycompleted its downward movement.

4. In a device of the'class described,-a clock movement embodying, as aprime mover, a gravity operated lever adapted, through its gravitatingdescent, to drive the movement, a solenoid mounted in fixed osition andprovided with a movable core aving a rigid Idependng stem provided witha shoulder adapted to at all times underlie the gravity memiber, arelatively fixed contact carried b the stem, and an electric circuitincluding both contacts and the solenoid, whereby, when the gravityymember has descended. the contacts will come into engagement with oneanother for the the solenoid to elepurpo of energizing vate the core andlift the gravity member into a position t0 again gravitate and drive theclock movement.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

J. REILLY.

FRANCIS drawn4

